room where she was wont to say her prayers-such
private oratories being common in most of the
Edinburgh houses of the time-and the window of
which overlooked the High Street, Thereat he
showed himself, w dhhabiZZt, to the people passing,
an exhibition which so seriously affected the repuwith
violence. Once-we regret to record it of so
heroic a soldier-when transported beyond the
bounds of reason, he gave her a blow on the face
with such severity as to draw blood; and then,
all unconscious of what he had done, fell asleep.
Poor Lady Stair, overwhelmed by such an insult,
THE LAWNMARKET, FROM THE SITE OF THE WEIGH-HOUSE, 1825. (AfIrEzu6ank.)
tation of the young widow, that she saw the necessity
ot accepting him as her husband.
Lady Eleanor was happier as Countess of Stair
than she had ever been as Viscountess Primrose ;
5ut the Earl had one failing-a common one
enough among gentlemen in those days-a disposition
to indulge in the bottle, and then his temper
was by no means improved; thus, on coming
home he more than once treated the Countess
and recalling perhaps much that she had endured
with Lord Primrose, made no attempt to bind up
the wound, but threw herself on a sofa, and wept
and bled till morning dawned. When the Earl
awoke, her bloody and dishevelled aspect filled
him with horror and dismay. ?What has happened
? How came you to be thus 2? he exclaimed.
She told him of his conduct over-night, which filled
him with shame-such shame and compunction,
